The present invention relates to an integral assembly of a multiplicity of spaced reagent tubes arranged in an elongated aligned series and a corresponding multiplicity of independently spaced sealed caps also arranged in an elongated aligned series and integrally connected to the multiplicity of tubes in a manner so as to allow independent sealing of individual tubes.
An integral assembly of micro-centrifuge strip tubes having independently tethered angularly related seal caps is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,553 issued Mar. 3, 1998 to Hovatter wherein the open ends of the tubes are integrally connected by a series of aligned tethers. The independent seal caps are pivotally connected integrally and angularly by a hinge strap to an associated one of the reagent tubes at an angle other than 90xc2x0 to the elongated aligned series in which the tubes are arranged. The caps are selectively manipulatable in relation to the open end of the associated reagent tube to be superimposed thereover to selectively effect a sealing penetration of a tubular skirt portion of the seal cap into or out of the open end to seal or unseal the open end of the associated tube.
It is noted that, in the assembly described in the above U.S. patent, the axis of the seal caps and that of the associated tubes to which they are tethered are parallel when in a tube open condition; however, they are coincident in a plane that is angularly disposed to the plane coincident with the axis of the aligned tubes at an angle other than 90xc2x0 to the common plane within which the axis of the tubes are coincident.
When these assemblies are placed in an apparatus, known as a thermal cycler, the seal caps are in the open condition so that they may receive samples that are to be centrifuged. In the arrangement described in the above U.S. patent, the seal caps of one assembly block the entrance of the open end of the tubes of an adjacently or rearwardly disposed assembly thus rendering the sample filling operation cumbersome and slow as each row of caps must be closed before proceeding with a next row instead of carrying out this operation only at the end when all the assemblies are sample filled.
Furthermore, the tether straps of the above Hovatter patent which inter-connect the tubes are narrow and thin, thus rendering the connection between the tubes rather flexible so that the manipulation of an assembly is difficult as the latter must be manually held in a substantially right plane.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an assembly of the type described wherein the seal caps and their hinge bands are in a plane which is 90xc2x0 to the plane of the aligned series of tubes and which extends between adjacent tubes. The closing of the caps on the tubes is achieved by configuring the hinge bands in a manner such as to provide an angular pivotal movement of the seal caps when moving into a cover relation with their associated tubes.
The present invention therefore relates to an integral assembly which comprises (a) a multiplicity of spaced reagent tubes arranged in an elongated aligned series, the tubes each having an open end and a closed end, the open ends of adjacent tubes integrally connected to one another by a series of connecting portions, (b) a corresponding multiplicity of independently spaced seal caps, each seal cap having a tubular seal skirt portion to sealingly engage the open end of an associated reagent tube, and (c) a corresponding multiplicity of bands having one end integral with a seal cap and an opposite end integrally connected to two adjacent tubes and their associated connecting portion. The bands extend perpendicularly to the series of aligned tubes and each include a hinge portion deformable so as to allow the cap to be independently manipulatable to pivot angularly and to superimpose the open end to thereby selectively effect a sealing penetration of the tubular skirt portion into the open end to seal the open end of an associated reagent tube.
In one form of the invention, each hinge portion has a folding area which has a thickness smaller than the thickness of the overall hinge portion thereby providing flexibility to facilitate the angular movement of the seal cap relative to the tube.
In a further form of the present invention, this folding area has a central opening thus leaving a pair of opposite strip sections that act as pivotal areas of the seal cap to the tube.
In another form of the invention, the connecting portions between the tubes are rigid so as to maintain the assembly in a substantially horizontal straight condition.
In another form of the invention, each connecting portion between the tubes displays a slot that facilitate the separation of a tube from the aligned series of tubes.
In an other embodiment of the invention, the seal caps are each provided with a contamination shield. It has been observed in presently used assemblies that the collar at the open end of each tube is so small that it is practically impossible to remove the seal caps from these ends without manually touching such collar. Indeed, if these collars are accidentally touched, the sample is contaminated. To obviate this, manipulation must be carried with great care and very slowly. The contamination shield overcomes this problem.
The handling and use of reagent tubes when arranged in an integral assembly such as described in the present invention, are greatly facilitated thus saving time, increasing efficiency and augmenting production.
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that this detailed description, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, is given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.